In the early hours of September 16th 1977 events ended the life of Marc Bolan and changed forever the lives of many people, not least his son Rolan, his Parents and brother and turned a simple tree into a Rock Shrine visited by people from all over the world for over twenty seven years. One the night of the accident, Rolan was sleeping at his grand parents' home in Putney only a mile from the Tree. Rolan often stayed there, being also only around a mile from his own home in Richmond Road.
SHAMEFUL BURGLARY BY 'FANS'
Fans were sent reeling by the news, although sadly within a couple of hours a group of 'fans' climbed the high wall around Marc, Gloria and Rolan's home and plundered the contents taking clothes, paperwork bearing Marc's signature and all the music tapes he kept at home. Gloria was in hospital unaware, but this was naturally a double blow for Marc's parents Syd and Phyllis. In the days that followed Marc's brother Harry was able to retrieve a suitcase full of clothes from one 'fan', but the other items were never recovered and have never been returned to Rolan. No one has ever been prosecuted for the thefts.
NEWSPAPER COVERAGE
Below are newspapers from September 16th and 17th, plus a Video clip of news covering the news on September 16th 1977 and including Marc's funeral on September 20th.
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Left: Two photographs taken at Marc's funeral. Members Photo Gallery (updated 25th February 2007) Members Video News Footage Click Here to Join |
GLORIA & ROLAN LEAVE FOR AMERICA
For an account of Fee's reaction to Marc Bolan's death along with her subsequent friendship with Marc's Parents and scans of part of Phylis's letters to Fee Click Here Photo: Marc's parents at their home taken in 1978 by Fee on one of her many visits. The strip of negatives was rediscovered in June 2003. The two photographs before this one were of The Tree and are featured on this site. Click the image for a larger version.  Click the small Newspaper Article Scans to read larger versions which open up in their own window. Both have a 'Print this Page' Option for easy printing.
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WAS THE TREE TO BLAIM?Over the years many people have blaimed The Tree for Marc's death. This is understandable given the emotional circumstances. But from a rational 'unemotional' assessment of the 'evidence' shows that not only was the Tree not responsible for the death of Marc Bolan its presence may well have stopped their being two fatalities that night. |
1) THE NEVER MENTIONED CHAIN LINK FENCE & POSTSIn the photograph on the right published in the Sun newspaper on the 17th September and therefore taken during the day of the accident itself (16th September), you can clearly see the remains to a concrete 'chain-link fence' post in the forground before The Tree. This is clearly nearer the road than The Tree On the night of the accident the Mini travelled over the humpback bridge towards The Tree on the left. Therefore the car must have hit the six foot high metal chain link fence first. It must have hit the steel-reinforced concrete post with enough force not only to break it at ground level, but to cause the concrete to break off its steel reinforcing in several places. If you look past The Tree, you can also see a second concrete post which was also snapped off at the base by the force of the impact being carried along the metal chain link fence. |  |
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Only then was the car able to hit The Tree and inflict the damage seen the photographs (left). Far left photograph taken in June 1978. It would have been the passenger side of the car which collided with the first steel-reinforced concrete fence post so although The Tree may have caused a little bit more damage, the 'real' impact which killed Marc Bolan was with the six foot high concrete fence post and NOT the Tree. An idential fence with identical posts can be see on the other side of the road to the Tree. Even now. They were no doubt installed by Railtrack, at the same time. After the accident the fence was not replaced and for many years the armco crash barrier was not there either. |
WAS THE TREE TO BLAIM? 2) BEYOND THE TREE - THE SHARP DROP
 | Had the Mini not stopped when it hit the Tree, had the Tree not been there, the Mini would have descended the embankment from Queen's Ride to the private drive of Gipsy Lane. The embankment TAG build steps up (see left). The houses in Gipsy Lane, facing the embankment have brick walls summounted by fences with high brick pillared metal gates. A glimpse of these can be seen behind some of the attendees at the Bronze Bust unveiling (right). So The Tree stopped the Mini before it could descend the embankment and hit the brick walls & metal fences of the houses at the bottom. It is very likely that Gloria would not have survived this impact. | 
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Go On to the Next Page - 2002 Telegraph article with some information about the evening
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